A Realistic Trade-Up Scenario for the Pelicans in the NBA Draft

The summer of speculation continues for the New Orleans Pelicans this offseason. After recent rumblings that the team has interest in Boston Celtics star forward Jaylen Brown, the Pelicans are awaiting the NBA Draft at the end of this month to try to further upgrade their roster.

Despite New Orleans currently having just one draft pick, a second-round selection, executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars told reporters earlier this offseason that the team would be willing to move up for the right deal.

"Given our roster and our future assets, if we want to move into the first round, we can," Dumars told reporters during exit interviews.

The Pelicans find themselves in this situation after surrendering this year’s pick to the Atlanta Hawks during last year’s draft to acquire Derik Queen. There was much hoopla surrounding the move after the Pelicans traded an unprotected first to the Hawks for the former Maryland star.

This year’s pick for New Orleans falls at No. 58, but the Pelicans have some resources to move up and nab a player they covet.

Size and shooting are the team's top priorities to improve its roster, and there are a couple of players in this year’s draft that would fit the need New Orleans looks to fill. To do so, the Pelicans need to broker a deal to move up and get the guy they want.

Trading Herb Jones to Lakers Could Land the Pelicans a First-Round Pick

A realistic trade partner could be the Los Angeles Lakers, who are in win mode now and were rumored to be interested in Herb Jones before the trade deadline. Los Angeles needs more consistency on the defensive end, especially on the perimeter, and Jones is one of the best on-ball defenders in the league.

The former second-round pick was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in 2024 and has finished in the top ten of NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting in multiple seasons. Could a package including Jones to the Lakers for the 25th pick in this year’s draft and a first-rounder in 2031 be enough to entice the Pelicans to pull the trigger? Or would adding Dalton Knecht or another second-rounder sway New Orleans?

Jones is a bona fide fan favorite for his work ethic and hustle on and off the court. However, his offensive numbers over the last couple of seasons show he may have peaked as a player in this league. The former Alabama standout averaged 8.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.6 steals in 56 games with New Orleans this season. His outside shooting has dipped dramatically over the last two seasons, with Jones shooting just 30.8% from beyond the arc in that span.

Injuries have been part of the recent story with Jones, who has played in just 76 games over the past two seasons, the same number as in his All-NBA selection year. If a move like this were to be made, New Orleans would be banking on the recent hiring of Jamahl Mosley to boost the team’s defensive mindset as a whole.

Mosley’s Orlando Magic teams finished in the top 11 defensively the past three seasons, with all three years resulting in playoff berths in Orlando, something this Pelicans’ organization has never done.

Addressing a shooting and size need in the draft with a player like Henry Veesar from North Carolina could help to fill an immediate need, while a young player like Knecht may have a higher offensive upside than the veteran Jones. A new report suggests only the rookies, Queen and Jeremiah Fears, are “untouchable” on the Pelicans roster, so many figure the team will be uber-aggressive this offseason to climb back into contention in the Western Conference.

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